The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs Fatima Mahmood, has reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency.
Mahmood made the pledge while declaring open the 6th Peer Review Conference of Chairpersons and Secretaries of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) of agencies under the ministry. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Osagie Edward.
Represented by the Deputy Director of Special Duties, Mrs Comfort Madichi, the Permanent Secretary described the Lagos conference as a strategic platform for institutional self-assessment, knowledge exchange, and collaborative action.
She said the initiative would further strengthen the fight against corruption across the marine and blue economy sector. According to her, sustained transparency and accountability are critical to achieving operational efficiency and improving service delivery.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, who was represented by the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Chudi Offodile, expressed delight at hosting the sixth edition of the ACTU Peer Review Conference.
Mobereola highlighted the theme of the conference, “Advancing Ethical Reforms: Institutionalising Integrity and Sustained Ethical Governance.” He said the theme underscores the critical role of ACTUs in driving organisational reforms and preventive anti-corruption strategies.
He noted that ethical governance must be deliberate and institutionalised through strengthened internal systems, reinforced accountability mechanisms, and the effective deployment of technology to eliminate leakages and enhance service delivery.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), who was represented by the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for Lagos State, Mr Alexander Chukwurah, commended agencies under the ministry for embracing the peer-review framework.
Aliyu said the peer review mechanism would enhance transparency, promote institutional integrity, and deepen ethical governance across the sector.
